Constance + Mike were married in Edmonton on December 30, 2010 – my last wedding of the year. These two are perfect for one another! They are both incredibly kind and genuine people, and always put others’ needs before their own.

Constance works in museums so when we began designing their big day it quickly became clear that a Vintage Art Deco Wedding would be a perfect fit. Constance and Mike also wanted to incorporate a few cultural traditions from their family heritages. Greek Jordan Almonds were given to guests in mirrored favour boxes and Ukrainian bread called korovai was displayed at the reception.

Julie and David of JDS Photography were on hand to capture this beautiful winter wedding day. A sampling of the gorgeous images are below:

Constance’s vintage-inspired bouquet by Coral’s Design was composed of antique hydrangea, Picasso calla lilies, Amnesia and Sahara roses, stephanotis, eyelash feathers and green hypericum berries. An ornate silver tussy mussy was used as a bouquet holder to complete the vintage look.

Mike looked dapper in his 3-piece charcoal grey suit!

The ceremony, held at St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, was my first Orthodox wedding and I really enjoyed the traditions and symbolism that were incorporated throughout the service. Special thanks to Crystal for assisting at the ceremony!

Constance took my breath away! From her tan fur stole to the finger waves in her hair, every detail of her ensemble worked perfectly with the vintage theme. The best detail of all – Constance had her mother’s gorgeous ivory lace wedding dress re-worked and it was absolutely stunning!

The art deco escort cards, table numbers, menus and signage were designed by Pinkpolka Wedding Design to coordinate perfectly with the camel and aubergine palette.

The reception was held at The Westin Edmonton. Prior to dinner, guests enjoyed cocktails and canapés to live music by cellist John Fedor. The tables were draped in camel satin linens and topped with aubergine runners and sage green napkins. ABC Weddings supplied all linens as well as the aubergine satin chair wraps.

The centrepieces alternated between tall silver crystal candelabras and clarinet vases with floating candles and Sahara roses (rentals supplied by Elegant Touches).

Constance and Mike decided to forgo a traditional wedding cake and instead they opted to share their favourite sweet treat with guests – doughnuts!

No Greek-Ukrainian wedding is complete without dancing (and lots of it)! Dan from Baseline D.J. kept the dance floor full all night long!

Thank you, Constance and Mike, for allowing me to share in your special day! It was a pleasure getting to know you and I know you will enjoy a wonderful life together.

Jennifer
Edmonton Wedding Planner

Tip #7: Be consistent.

It’s easy to get distracted by all the wedding ideas out there. Between bridal fairs, magazines and countless blogs it can certainly become overwhelming, but the key to a well designed event is consistency. Once you’ve taken the time to determine your wedding style, theme and atmosphere – don’t deviate! From the style of your dress to the centrepieces and the linens on the table, the visual components of your wedding should tie together nicely and reflect a similar look and feeling.

One of the easiest ways to ensure a cohesive event is through your wedding stationary. The wedding invitations speak volumes about what kind of event your guests can expect to attend, so it’s important to ensure this first impression truly reflects your wedding style. The level of formality will be communicated through the type of papers, fonts and wording that you use, as well as your venue selections. It’s wise to carry the design of your wedding invitations through to all other wedding stationary, such as ceremony programs, table numbers, menu cards, favour tags – even your guestbook.

Here’s an example of one of our couples’ weddings:

• Wedding Theme: “Urban Glamour”
• Wedding Style: Modern, edgy, Hollywood glitz + glamour
• Wedding Colours: Black, white and turquoise
• Details: White phalaenopsis orchids, damask linens, crystal and feather centrepieces

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

Have you heard about our lucky + in love contest? We are giving away FREE planning consultations to three couples! The entry form will be available this Friday, so keep checking back for your chance to win!

Jennifer

Photo Credit: JDS Photography.

Sterling + Heng were married on September 11, 2010 – precisely 11 years after they started dating! At the wedding, their family and friends shared the same sentiment: “It’s about time!” We worked together to plan their modern, urban wedding for just less than a year. I truly enjoyed Sterling + Heng’s relaxed demeanours and the strong friendship between these two high school sweethearts is evident.

Sterling and Heng decided they wanted a very unique, very urban ceremony location with a great view of the city. The top level of Windsor Carpark on the University of Alberta Campus was a perfect choice, and we lucked out with a clear day. When considering where to hold the reception, Edmonton’s Matrix Hotel stood out for the couple. It is definitely one of the most modern venues in the city and suited their wedding style perfectly.

Sterling had some awesome ideas in mind for the wedding (after all, she had quite a bit of time to think about it over the years)! Here’s a glimpse of their day captured beautifully (as always) by JDS Photography.

Sterling’s gorgeous bouquet designed by Best Buds (Oliver Square) included cascading white phalaenopsis orchids inset with ivory roses.

Ceremony chairs perfectly placed by the team at Special Event Rentals.

The adorable fairy flower girls and the cutest ring bearer ever – Sterling and Heng’s son. This boy’s going to break some hearts!

Just married!

The handsome groom!

Sterling was a stylishly stunning bride and her accessories perfectly reflected her personality!

Matrix Hotel’s Quartz Ballroom was decorated beautifully in black & white damask accented with turquoise. Alternating centrepieces of white ostrich and peacock feathers sat atop eiffel vases glowing with turquoise lights. Single white carnation blooms in flower tubes were hung from the light structures in the ballroom, creating an amazing chandelier effect!

Small wooden elephants, symbolizing strength and good luck in Chinese culture, were placed on the tables for guests to take home.

Sterling + Heng’s modern wedding invitations and reception stationary were created by PinkPolka Wedding Design.

Sterling, Heng: thank you for allowing us to be a part of your wonderful day. All the best for the future!

Jennifer + Sarah
Edmonton Wedding Planners

{Featured! This wedding was recently featured on Wedding Obsession.}

Nadia + Steve are getting married next August, and they’ve chosen one of my favourite photography teams to capture their special day – James Design Studios (JDS). I’ll admit I’m a bit biased as JDS shot my own wedding a couple years ago, but their amazing work speaks for itself!

Steve just returned to Edmonton after spending a few months in Eastern Canada, so last week was the perfect time to take their engagement photos. These two are so in love and they’re truly best friends – I think it shows in the photos!

Check out the full post and more beautiful couples in love on JDS Photography’s blog.

Jennifer

Last week I received an email from the team at bride.ca. They wanted to profile a wedding featured on our website and I must say – I’m flattered! Turns out it’s my own wedding that they’ve chosen to highlight. You can view the feature here.

Sean and I were married at the Jasper Park Lodge in May 2008, and though I have a background in corporate events, it was really through planning my own wedding that I was inspired to start this business and help other couples bring their dream day to life. I love that weddings can be so unique and personalized to each couple, and one of my favourite parts about this “job” is getting to know my brides + grooms and finding ways to infuse personal touches into their event.

The beautiful photography is courtesy of the highly talented husband and wife duo behind James Design Studios – Julie + David.

Stay tuned for more real Rocky Mountain weddings, along with some tips and ideas to help you plan your elegant alpine affair!

Jennifer